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lousemore about louse

louse

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Louse  \Louse\  (lous),  n.;  pl  {Lice}  (l[imac]s).  [OE.  lous,  AS 
  l[=u]s,  pl  l[=y]s;  akin  to  D.  luis,  G.  laus,  OHG.  l[=u]s, 
  Icel.  l[=u]s,  Sw  lus,  Dan.  luus;  perh.  so  named  because  it 
  is  destructive,  and  akin  to  E.  lose,  loose.]  (Zo["o]l.) 
  1.  Any  one  of  numerous  species  of  small  wingless,  suctorial, 
  parasitic  insects  belonging  to  a  tribe  ({Pediculina}),  now 
  usually  regarded  as  degraded  Hemiptera.  To  this  group 
  belong  of  the  lice  of  man  and  other  mammals;  as  the  head 
  louse  of  man  ({Pediculus  capitis}),  the  body  louse  ({P. 
  vestimenti}),  and  the  crab  louse  ({Phthirius  pubis}),  and 
  many  others  See  {Crab  louse},  {Dog  louse},  {Cattle 
  louse},  etc.,  under  {Crab},  {Dog},  etc 
 
  2.  Any  one  of  numerous  small  mandibulate  insects,  mostly 
  parasitic  on  birds,  and  feeding  on  the  feathers.  They  are 
  known  as  Mallophaga,  or  bird  lice,  though  some  occur  on 
  the  hair  of  mammals.  They  are  usually  regarded  as  degraded 
  Pseudoneuroptera.  See  {Mallophaga}. 
 
  3.  Any  one  of  the  numerous  species  of  aphids,  or  plant  lice. 
  See  {Aphid}. 
 
  4.  Any  small  crustacean  parasitic  on  fishes.  See 
  {Branchiura},  and  {Ichthvophthira}. 
 
  Note:  The  term  is  also  applied  to  various  other  parasites; 
  as  the  whale  louse,  beelouse,  horse  louse. 
 
  {Louse  fly}  (Zo["o]l.),  a  parasitic  dipterous  insect  of  the 
  group  Pupipara.  Some  of  them  are  wingless,  as  the  bee 
  louse. 
 
  {Louse  mite}  (Zo["o]l.),  any  one  of  numerous  species  of  mites 
  which  infest  mammals  and  birds,  clinging  to  the  hair  and 
  feathers  like  lice.  They  belong  to  {Myobia}, 
  {Dermaleichus},  {Mycoptes},  and  several  other  genera. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Louse  \Louse\,  v.  t. 
  To  clean  from  lice.  ``You  sat  and  loused  him.''  --Swift. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  louse 
  n  1:  wingless  usually  flattened  blood-sucking  insect  parasitic  on 
  warm-blooded  animals  [syn:  {sucking  louse}] 
  2:  has  a  nasty  or  unethical  character  undeserving  of  respect 
  [syn:  {worm},  {insect},  {dirt  ball}] 
  3:  any  of  several  small  insects  esp.  aphids  that  feed  by 
  sucking  the  juices  from  plants  [syn:  {plant  louse}] 
  4:  wingless  insect  with  mouth  parts  adapted  for  biting;  mostly 
  parasitic  on  birds  [syn:  {bird  louse},  {biting  louse}]




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